Ramadan Mubarak

Ramadan begins today. Ramadan Mubarak means "a blessed Ramadan" and is the standard greeting this time of year.
It is the Islamic holy month of fasting before Eid (I will write more about Eid when the time comes). In order to challenge themselves, be purified and remind themselves what being poor is like, no food, or drink (including water) is ingested from dawn until dusk. Since it's an early Ramadan this year, that means from about 4:30am to 6:30/7pm. They are also supposed to offer more prayers and participate in good deeds. After sundown, there are BIG feasts called Iftar and many of the local restaurants are closed all day and then have big meal specials after dark. Out of respect for our fellow faculty and students (when they arrive next week) I will try and not eat and drink in front of other muslims, but one of our staff told me yesterday it's okay because it makes their conviction stronger. I think it will be hard to keep the student's attention for a 2-hour class near the end of the day after they haven't eaten anything! Thankfully it's just for the first two weeks of school.....
There are exceptions to the fasting--first, if you're menstruating or pregnant or sick. We were also having a discussion with a bengali yesterday and they said most laborers (construction workers, rickshaw drivers, etc.) don't participate--there would be people keeling over right and left in this heat if they weren't allowed to drink water all day! Children don't very often, but usually will get up before dawn to eat with their parents and then wait until noon, have a little lunch and then have to wait until dark. I can't imagine having to go the entire day with no food and water!
On a related note, I've been reading in the news about all this uproar over a mosque being built at ground zero in New York and now other mosques in other places around the US are seeing resistance. Most all muslims are just as outraged by 9/11 as Americans are and having a mosque near ground zero could help heal some spiritual wounds (I think). If people could only see how peaceful and sweet muslims are! A lot of their religion is based on being pure and helping others who are less fortunate. There are extremists in ALL religions who are intolerant and unwilling to accept outsiders (Christianity, Judaism, Islam alike)--and they're the ones who give that religion a bad name . It makes me very sad to hear about the intolerance of Americans, but I know it just stems from not understanding...